Envi advocates not giving up on coal plant issue

By Leny G. Gabo

Despite the apparent endorsement of Governor Niel Tupas for a coal-fired power plant to be put up in Iloilo , environmental advocates are not giving up on the battle.

Members of Coal-FREE (Concepcion Alliance for Renewable Energy) recently appeared in the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to present their position paper on the controversial issue.

Coal-FREE Vice President Dr. Josefa Navarro said they officially presented their position to the provincial board so that the latter could have a balanced view of the issue.

Some members of the provincial board recently joined Governor Tupas and other local officials to an observation tour in Mirant's coal plant in Pagbilao, Quezon.

Coal-FREE noted that the provincial board once rejected the proposal of the Korean Electric and Power Company (Kepco) to put up a coal-fired power plant in Banate, Iloilo .

Presently, the province has two offers for coal-fired power plants: DMCI in Concepcion and Mirant in Barotac Viejo.

The group expressed that based on their study a coal power plant is hazardous to health and environment. The group enumerated the effects such as: health illness, environmental problem, high soil acidity, loss of irrigation, and degradation of coastal resources.

The group added that in Calaca, Batangas, where a coal plant exists, there was displacement of fisher folks and destruction of small fisher folk's fishing gear, displacement of communities and closure of marine-related business.

Meanwhile, experts advocating for renewable energy slammed Tupas for strong endorsement of the coal plant project following their tour in Quezon.

In a statement the group said: “Governor Tupas and some of his political allies are just as dangerous as the coal plant they are brokering.” 

“Of course, after feasting, you do not displease your host”, said the group noting that the trip was sponsored by Mirant. 

Engr. Aurora Alerta-Lim, CPU Vice-President for Environmental Concerns noted: “It would have been highly moral for the local government led by Governor Tupas to leave it to the proper body and the corresponding formal process such as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) to make such a definitive endorsement. 

Prof. Joy Lizada of UP College of Management observed: “Mirant's sponsored tour of their own coal plant was technically flawed as Gov. Tupas and his party relied mostly on the briefings of the host company.  Even if they interacted with community members, still the latter would have been conscious of the fact that they are Mirant's guests, and under such circumstance, no honest exchange of information would have been possible."